2009 is a special year for the sport sector. Vietnam played a very successful role as the host of AIG 3 and made a deep impression at the 25th SEA Games.
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National Women’s Football Team continue to dominate Southeast Asia. |
Among the tops in Southeast Asia
Before the 25th SEA Games, Vietnam only set a target for itself as having occupied one of the three top positions in Southeast Asia with about 65 to 70 gold medals. But it had done more than that with the second position and 83 golds, only three golds less than the first ranker of Thailand.
With this achievement, Vietnam left a special mark in its history of sports, leaving the other regional opponents far behind. That is also the highest place Vietnam has reached at a SEA Games held abroad.
At the 24th SEA Games, Vietnam only ranked third after the host Thailand and Malaysia. Vietnam once occupied the first position when it hosted SEA Games for the first time in 2003.
What Vietnam has left as the most impressive mark at SEA Games was the gold by the women’s football players. Besides, such Olympic events as track and field and swimming also made a very successful impression at the Games.
Vu Thi Huong became a ‘phenomenon’ as she secured both golds in 100m and 200m races.
Swimming also made a surprise with third consecutive gold by Nguyen Huu Viet in the 100m breast-stroke event. Viet not only set a new SEA Games record in 1’1’’06, but also broke the previous record (1’02’’59) set by his Indonesian arch-rival Indra Gunawan.
Shooters snatch golds at the 25th SEA Games
The big success in Vientiane is the basis for Vietnam to eye higher targets at the 26th SEA Games, due to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Successfully hosting third AIG
Vietnam really played a very successful role as the host of the third Asian Indoor Games. It is considered a great turning point for Vietnam to strive to go far beyond in the future, from SEA Games to the Asian Games, also known as ASIAD.
Although the initial target was only among the eight top teams, Vietnam ranked second with 42 golds after China (48 golds) and stood above a number of strong teams such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Iran⦠This achievement is yet to be possible to confirm that Vietnam is now able to reach to the top group in the Continent.
However, it helped the athletes gain more experience and raise their competition abilities at grand international arenas. The success in organisation of the third AIG in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is also regarded as a good preparation for Vietnam in its organisation for big international sport events in the future.
VietNamNet/Nhan Dan
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